We recognise and celebrate our staff are our greatest asset. Do you want to make a positive difference and be involved in the development of an exhilarating, new and innovative approach to providing mental health care within local communities?

Do you want to work for an NHS Trust that is committed to continuous professional development and has an excellent track record for staff development and support?

You need look no further - please apply for this exciting opportunity:

Advanced Primary Care Mental Health Practitioner:

37.5 hours per week but would welcome applications from those who wish to job share and require flexibility.

• Salary will be in line with NHS Agenda for Change pay scales and you will have access to the NHS Pension Scheme.

This is a new and innovative post. You will support people in primary care settings, working in a collaborative and multi-agency way to meet the needs of people with a range of mental health needs.

You will work within the New Forest PCN and associated GP Practices. This PCN looks after the needs of the local population in the New Forest, who work in a collaborative partnership with other organisations, including local authorities, community service providers, Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust, and voluntary and community groups. You will work in an ambitious but compassionate and friendly team of professionals in various additional roles created to enhance our general practice. You will work as an autonomous practitioner within a friendly team of GP’s, ANPs, Practice Nurses and Pharmacists. You will develop close working relationships with General Practitioners and be a valued member of the primary care team. You will be expected to collaborate with other healthcare professionals, both internal to, and external from, the PCN. Your role will be to offer specialist mental health clinical care for people presenting to the GP Practices with a range of mild to moderate mental health needs. You will act as a ‘first contact mental health worker’, undertaking triage, assessments, brief interventions/treatment, and review for local people. You will also offer networking expertise and navigation to a range of specialist mental health support across the community system to ensure that, once assessed, each person receives the best possible care in the right place at the right time by the right supporting service.

New Forest Primary Care Network is a forward thinking group of GP Practices based across Lymington, Milford on Sea, Brockenhurst, Sway and Lyndhurst working together to provide community based healthcare for our 35,000+ patients. We are looking to recruit a Mental Health Practitioner as part of our plans to develop a community based mental health care team. This team will provide first point of contact for patients with mild to moderate mental health problems in our Network area. We currently have 5 social prescribers and aCare Coordinator. The successful applicant will be will be expected to provide some leadership in mental health issues, and work closely with the four practices. The aim is to have a base at Milford on Sea which allows remote and face to face working but we will also require some presence in the practices. The funding is jointly provided by the local mental health provider and the Network. The role will be permanent and the employment contract will be held by SHFT and subcontracted to NF PCN. For an informal discussion about the role please email the Network Manager, Becky Higgins at rebecca.higgins2@nhs.net with a phone number

As a service keen to provide excellent care to our locality we would welcome enthusiastic, pioneers who are willing to develop the role. We are looking for the very best people to come with us on our journey of discovery and development. Primary Care experience is not essential; however, a good understanding of how Primary Care works would be beneficial. Candidates should have extensive clinical knowledge and experience across a range of mental health settings. If appropriate to the candidate’s professional registration they will need to hold or be willing to work towards attaining a prescribing qualification. Candidates will need to be able to offer advice to other mental health professionals and GP Practice staff. Experience in leading meetings, presentation skills and offering training and education to professionals across a range of specialties will be essential.

If you are a qualified Mental Health Practitioner, with a passion for supporting local people with mental health problems and their families, and are looking for an exceptional opportunity to contribute to the development of an innovative and new way of working - then we look forward to hearing from you!

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

348-SW-C-673E